


A Happy Call

by KeyWonderLand



Series: Because He's Happy! [2]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Happy Hogan Is Gay In This Universe, M/M, Self-Insert - Original Male Character (Author)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-08
Updated: 2018-11-08
Packaged: 2019-08-20 13:31:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16556693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeyWonderLand/pseuds/KeyWonderLand
Summary: I mean, he's only been talking about him, like, all the time. I wonder what he's going to say to the man after so long?[This work features an implication, however small, of a male character showing sexual interest towards another male character's footwear.]





	A Happy Call

**Author's Note:**

> This work takes place in December 2012, being that it is situated within the Universe of Iron Man III.

_**Do do dooo (vwoop vwoop)/ Do do dooo (vwoop vwoop)...** _

"I bet _that's_ Tony now."

My observation came with the Skype ringtone beeping from Happy's iPad. It was right on the heels of another story from Happy's former years as Tony Stark's bodyguard and driver; these tales were more like wry accounts rather than reminiscences. Often enough, however, Happy tended to contradict himself in that one moment, he couldn't stand that period of his life and in the next, he'd love nothing more than to go back.

Happy stared blankly at the tablet with a finger anxiously hovering over the screen, ready to take a shot in the dark as to which button started the call. It wrung my brain how, even after being exposed so much of the technology Mr. Stark supposedly had around, Happy still couldn't operate a simple tablet device. He was, after all, the one who requested it (more like demanded) during his first day as head of Security.

"Okay, so you press that  _green_ button—" I said, losing count of how many times I've come to his rescue. 

" _Da da da da!_ " went Happy, waving away the finger I had brandished at the screen. "You think I don't have this? I have this. Lemme have this."

"Okay, you can have it," I relented. He usually "had it" because I would have just told him. Happy tapped the green phone button, though with an air of hesitance. He then held the iPad way up into the air with both arms. Because that was  _exactly_ how you have a video chat.

"Hello?" Happy greeted, his head tilted upward to the screen.

"Is  _this_  forehead of Security?" came the immediate response from the other end. My face automatically contorted into this humored grimace as my head rapidly bobbed with quiet laughter.  

"What?" Happy replied, genuinely puzzled by the quickfire quip. Only then did he realize he had the tablet hovering higher than necessary and brought it down to his lap. "Listen, Tony. I'd love to chat but I can't be slackin' here. I'm workin' a real job right now."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. 'Oh'," Happy returned, looking real pleased with himself. "I'm kinda working here."

"Yeah, 'kinda' seems to be the case," Tony replied. Happy's jaw clenched—yep, that triggered him. Say what you want about the results of his work, but I've long since learned to not underestimate his diligence. Though, I doubt his pride would have even mattered what with a number of complaints so staggering. 

Happy took a deep breath and bounced back. "I got somethin' going on here, Tony," he reiterated.

"What? Harassing interns?" Tony asked. It must have been Pepper telling him those things or otherwise, it was Happy boasting about it to someone. And he knew better than to do that when I was around. 

"Tony," Happy said, his voice low and quick, "let me tell you something, alright? You know what happened when I would tell people, 'Oh, I'm Iron Man's bodyguard'? They would laugh right in my face!"

Mr. Stark preceded to do just that. Happy rolled his eyes then went on.

"Man, I had to get outta there while I still had a shred of dignity left—" which continued to be shredded further—"And  _now?_ Shit! I've got a _real_ job. I'm watching Pepper."

Right in front of us was the aforementioned Ms. Potts and an older man—I think his name was Krillin or something—standing in the midst of this giant holographic brain. We were staked out in front of her glass office in the first place as Happy wanted to keep an eye on him. According to him, there was something shifty about the man, though I personally didn't see it. Then again, everyone seemed dodgy if they went against Happy's internal utopia. 

"So, what's up? Fill me in," Tony urged, sincerely interested. 

I saw Happy's brown eyes morph into that of hopeful longing. Of someone seeking approval. "For real? You really wanna know?" he inquired. 

Deep down, he missed his talks with Tony. 

Happy quickly wet his lips then went into a rapid-fire explanation of the current going-ons. There was this animation in his tone as if describing an especially majestic lunar eclipse. Knowing Happy, it most likely stemmed from the prospect of an investigation.

His right foot, clad in a black security shoe, involuntarily slid its thick rubber sole back and forth against the smooth floor; I took that as an indication of his excitement. 

Seeing his foot slide along the tile like that brought about an excitement within me, the same when watching him plod around in those shoes.

Happy mentioned that Krillin guy showing Ms. Potts his big brain and her liking it. Once again, I felt my face screw up with mirth. Why did he have to say it like  _that?_  

"Here, let me show you." Happy brought his tablet aloft, pointing it towards Ms. Potts' office. It took a few seconds for my own brain to register that Happy forgot one important step. "See that?" 

"See  _what?_  You watching them?" Tony asked, confirming my thoughts. "Let's flip the screen so we can get started."

"Flip the  _screen?_ " Happy repeated as if Tony had asked him to flip the sofa we occupied. 

"Flip the  _camera,_ " I muttered to myself. 

"Look, Tony," Happy said, lowering the device once more. "I'm not a tech genius like  _you,_ alright—" But he could work the shit out of his taser, though—"Just trust me on this. Could you just get  _down_  here, please?"

Yeah, he still missed Tony. 

"Flip the screen, Happy, if you want me to see them."

Happy's nostrils flared defiantly. "I can't—I don't know how to  _flip the damn screen!_ " As quiet as he tried to keep his frustration, there were a few heads that turned our way. 

Happy was someone who at least knew to admit when he needed help, even though his ass burned all throughout. He wasn't really aggravated with Tony, but more with himself. 

"Okay, look. Just press that red icon," I finally told him. "Right  _there._ "

"Okay." Happy jabbed the button.

_**Vwoo-Kwaaa...** _

"Wait, 'Call ended'?!" Happy panicked and gave a frantic look my way. Once he saw my goofy smile, he put two and two together. "Aw, you _ass_ hole!"

Honestly, he was not  _too_  wrong. "I thought you had it, though."

Tony was already sending another call request, and Happy was able to start it all by himself. 

"What happened?" was Tony's first question upon his return. 

Happy turned his iPad toward me, my head instantly swiveling away from the camera. " _This_  friggin' guy happened! Don't you turn away!"

"He a friend of yours?"

"Yeah," Happy simply answered. "I  _guess._ "

Another smile forced itself onto my face. 

"But, Tony? Listen. You can't talk to me like that anymore," Happy said with a firm petulance most likely cathartic to him. "You're not my boss right now. Alright? I don't work for you."

"Gee, that-that's a...shame," came Tony's mock, and distracted, crestfallen response. All the same, Happy has conveyed to me the realization that if it weren't for Tony, he wouldn't have even been close to where he was.

" _Now,_ " Happy said sharply, getting back on subject, "I don't trust this guy, and he's got this other fellow with him. He's  _also_  shifty."

My head had been turned toward the waiting area where there was a man, slim and bald, taking up one of the chairs; he was reading a Forbes as if it was the first time in his life he's ever read a magazine. Not too long ago, Happy had already given him trouble for not having his badge on.

"Relax," was Tony's response. I returned my attention to Happy just in time to see him scoff.

"Seriously?" he asked like he'd had his fill of hearing such sound advice.

"Look, I'm just asking you to secure the perimeter," Tony said, ignoring Happy. "Maybe tell them to go out for a drink or something?"

Happy inhaled dramatically as if what he would say next was long overdue. He spoke softly, evenly. "You know what, Tony? You should really take more of an interest in what's going on here right now. That woman? That woman is the _best_ thing to ever happen to you and you're just...you're just ignoring her."

He had personally conveyed his feelings about them several times before. I wasn't going to assume I knew exactly what was happening between Mr. Stark and Ms. Potts, and while Happy had never had any romantic interest in women, he seemed keen on keeping the spark alive between the two.

"Big brain?" Tony just mentioned again. He probably ignored Happy's second eye roll, too.

"Yeah, there's a big-ass brain in Pepper's office," Happy repeated patiently. "There's a shifty guy in there. You know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna follow this guy." I could see Happy sit up in his seat, inflating himself like a balloon full of bravado. "First, I'm gonna run his plates and if it happens to get rough—well, so be it!"

And there it was again. As if he hadn't had his ass kicked enough.

"I miss you, Happy."

Right when Tony said that, Happy deflated into silence. He actually heard it from the man himself, sardonically be damned. 

"Yeah, I miss you, too," Happy finally replied. "But the way it used to be. The late nights driving you around, chasing tail. Tossing you your little suitcase so you can stop criminals from fuckin' up the day. An' you  _know_  something? I actually  _understood_  it. But not this 'Superfriends' shit you got going on, you know? I don't know  _what's_  going on with you anymore." Happy stopped for a moment to catch his breath. "The world's getting weird on me. I mean, I'm _glad_ I am where I-"

"Hey, listen, I'd hate to cut you off, Happy," Tony interjected. "Do you have your taser on you?"

"Why?" Happy tossed back with spice. 

"I think there's a gal in HR who's trying to steal some toner," Tony replied. I could hear what sounded like the door of a fridge smacking shut. "You should probably go over there and, I dunno, zap her."

"Yeah, that's nice," was Happy's dejected reply. He huffed heavily and ended the call, then shot out a deceptive laugh. "He put me in the wine fridge. I guess _that's_ the end of it."

"He...didn't sound too much like he gave a shit," I said with honestly. 

"I keep telling you, that's Tony," Happy replied with a defeated smile. "He can be a bit hard to read at times."

My best bet was to shrug and let Happy revel in those complicated feelings for his former boss."

"Now were you still planning to tell him about your Grandmother and the metal snake in the sky?" 

" _Damn!_ " Happy growled, his palm smacking the leather sofa. "I feel like he's responsible for that, you know"

"I mean, she  _is_ okay, right? Because falling two stories down, I mean..." 

Happy grabbed my shoulder and gave it a friendly squeeze. "Yeah, yeah. She's doin' fine now."

Soon, Happy had to go prepare a car for Pepper then he was going on a field assignment, as he put it.

"I'm gonna do it," Happy had asserted in private. "Pepper might actually be in danger."

"I mean, I  _guess_  you have it under control?" It was usually "win some/lose most" with Happy. "But should the worse ever happen, would  _I_  need to do anything?"

Happy clapped his large hands on my shoulders. "You are going to have to do  _nothing_ because that is exactly what is going to happen:  _nothing._ " 

"Well, if you  _don't_  make it," I smirked, "can I have your shoes?"

His hands still grasping me, Happy took a look down at his feet, the black plain-toes squeaking on the slick linoleum floor with the slightest movement. 

"Yeah, nice try," Happy said with a cheeky, yet understanding, grin. "They're stayin' on and  _you're_ gonna get to see them taking a victory stroll through that door when I come back."

Even then, I couldn't help but believe him when he was so positive—hell, I even once compared him to a human Rolex with the whole "Takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'" bit.

Now, I wasn't around when Happy set off on his little snoop job but he did leave a V-mail that evening:

"Hey, Key? This is Happy. I'm about to check those guys out now, so wish me luck on this, alright? I'll see you later. Oh, and Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays. Whichever _you_ prefer."

Let's just say that after the unfortunate event, I made a habit of providing Happy with a hug and a kiss even before he went grocery shopping.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, guys. 
> 
> So you know those weird sounds like the "Do Do Doo" and the "Vwoo-Kwaa"? That's me trying to depict the Skype Ringtone and the End Call sound effects, as accurately as I could, as they were in 2012. 
> 
> As I produced this, I imagined Happy having feelings for Tony at one point but not having them reciprocated, and later having to separate himself for the sake of a better career. I also can imagine him and Tony, at times, just being together and shooting the shit. With Key, though, those sorts of conversations do happen in a more intimate fashion and I imagine Key learning things about Happy that even Tony wouldn't be privy to.
> 
> I also wanted to showcase Happy in a more emotive way. Like, how would he have REALLY felt during that Skype call, especially given the emotions that this version of Happy's character harbor within?
> 
> Of course, the man's name is Killian but because Key had only heard the name in passing, it didn't really stick. And even after, Key still referred to him as the Dragon Ball character due to his being a fan.
> 
> You know the scene in the movie where Tony is looking up information on Killian on his super advanced mobile device? That is the cause of his distracted response (that and not necessarily paying Happy any mind).
> 
> The references to Happy's Grandmother and the metal snake actually mirrors a comment made by Happy in the elusive Iron Man 3 footage shown at San Diego Comic-Con 2012, the line itself is a reference to the first Avengers movie.
> 
> So anyway, thank you all so very much for reading this!


End file.
